Our Team
Scholars who teach and practice, in and out of the classroom.
The women who lead Soltara’s work have spent their careers closing the gap between research and practice. They facilitate the processes they have spent years studying. The projects they design are inspired by scholars who produce the evidence they draw on, which means they can be tailored to context, sector, and the specific pressures your organisation faces.
Dr. Lina Daouk-Öyry
Founding Partner
Dr. Lina Daouk-Öyry is an organizational psychologist and Associate Professor at BI Norwegian Business School, specializing in leadership development, employee engagement, and workplace inclusion. Holding a PhD in Psychometrics, her research has shaped practice across healthcare, banking, telecommunications and entrepreneurship. With over 15 years in education and consulting, she has designed and delivered executive programs across seven countries, drawing on data-driven strategies to help organizations build inclusive, high-performing cultures. Her work appears in acclaimed journals including Organization Studies and Journal of Personality and Social Psychology, and she is the recipient of the 2020 Distinguished Scholar Award from the Arab Fund for Social and Economic Development.
Dr. Carmen Geha
Founding Partner
Dr. Carmen Geha is a scholar, entrepreneur, and consultant specializing in public sector reform, nonprofit governance, and social development. Holding a PhD from the University of St. Andrews and a former Visiting Scholar at Harvard University, she brings 12 years of experience designing executive training programs across the Arab region. Previously a tenured Associate Professor at the American University of Beirut, she now teaches Gender and Globalization at the Barcelona Institute for International Studies. A Fulbright and Maria Zambrano fellow, her research on public administration, institutional reform, and civic engagement is published in numerous journals including the Middle East Journal and Journal of Refugee Studies.
Dr. Charlotte Karam
Founding Advisor
Dr. Charlotte Karam is a tenured Full Professor at the University of Ottawa specializing in inclusive HR systems, workplace equity, and business ethics. Her research has attracted over $11 million in funding from organizations including UN Women and the U.S. Department of State. As lead investigator of The SAWI Project, she has driven inclusive HR reform across the MENA region, and developed the KIP and Lived Experience Indices, the first sector-based measures of women’s recruitment, retention and promotion in Middle Eastern workplaces. She has been named a Global Gender Champion by the U.S. Department of State, recognized among the 100 Most Influential People in Gender Policy by Apolitical, and twice awarded AACSB’s Innovations that Inspire. She serves as Area Editor of Feminism(s) at the Journal of Business Ethics.
Dr. Zeina Zeidan
Founding Advisor
Dr. Zeina Zeidan is an expert in corporate governance, ESG strategy, and board leadership, and the first woman to chair a major financial institution’s board in the MENA region. With a background as CFO and CEO of a multinational retail company spanning MENA, Turkey, and Cyprus, she brings deep financial and operational expertise to her advisory work. She currently serves on the board of Lafarge-Holcim and has consulted for the Harvard Business Club of the GCC and supported the KIP Index initiative at the American University of Beirut. Recognized by the International Finance Corporation as a thought leader in crisis management and resilience, she advises global organizations on governance, executive education, and sustainable business strategy.